Strawberry jam

25 min
Strawberry jam

Is there anything that encapsulates summer better than the taste of ripe strawberries? Making a sweet and tasty homemade strawberry jam means you can enjoy the taste of summer all year round since it can be made using either fresh or frozen strawberries. Enjoy the beautiful red jam on bread, with pancakes, or as filling in a layered cake. So, next time you are in the mood for something sweet, get out your fresh or frozen strawberries and make a big batch of jam with our easy strawberry jam recipe.

Ingredients

Cleaned strawberries
300 g
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp
Water
2 tbsp
Vanilla pod (seeds from it) or the same quantity of vanilla paste
½
Preserving sugar (approx. 1¾ dl)
150 g

Instructions

  • Cut strawberries into quarters and put them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with lemon juice, water, and vanilla.
  • Bring to a boil and let strawberries boil at low to medium heat for about 8 minutes with the lid on – stir occasionally.
  • Add preserving sugar, bring to a boil again, and boil jam at medium heat for about 3 minutes while stirring continuously.
  • Pour jam into cleaned, sterilised glasses and let it cool. Keep jam in the refrigerator if you have not used sodium benzoate.
Enjoy!

Tips

When you are not using sodium benzoate preserve your homemade jam, cleaning and sterilising the glasses or jars as well as the equipment you are using (pans, spoons, funnel etc.) becomes even more important. It is not necessary, although it can be a good idea, to use sodium benzoate to prolong your jam's shelf life so long as you are careful about sterilising jam containers as well as equipment using boiling water.

Tips

It also a good idea to be careful about pouring in the jam so none of it gets on the edges of the container. Using a funnel will ease this process. Put the lid on the jars immediately after pouring in the hot jam. This will prevent bacteria from getting into it. Do not open the jars until you plan to eat the jam and store them somewhere dry, cool, and dark. Keep the homemade jam refrigerated after opening it.

Questions about strawberry jam

With our easy recipe for strawberry jam, it is simple to make a delicious jam that you can enjoy in a myriad of different ways. Beneath, you can learn more about how to make and store jam by reading answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the sweet homemade jam.

How to make strawberry jam?

Making your own strawberry jam from scratch is easy. Simply let all ingredients except for the preserving sugar boil while stirring occasionally, then add preserving sugar and leave to boil for a few minutes. Remember to taste your jam to test its sweetness to see if it needs either a bit more sugar, vanilla, or lemon juice. Remember to sterilise your jars, to put the lid on immediately after pouring in the jam, and to store it in a cool, dry, and dark place or in the fridge.

How long does homemade strawberry jam last?

Unopened homemade jam which was poured into properly sterilised jars and has been stored somewhere dry, cool, and dark should keep for up to 6 months. After you have opened the jam and begun to enjoy it, the jam will keep for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Can you make strawberry jam without pectin?

There is no need to add pectin to a strawberry jam. Even though strawberries do not contain high amounts of pectin naturally, lemons do, which is why this is a strawberry jam recipe without pectin added. We boil freshly squeezed lemon juice along with the strawberries and preserving sugar, so no additional gelling agent like pectin is needed.

Why do you put lemon juice in strawberry jam?

Adding lemon juice serves two purposes. Firstly, it has a high pectin content which acts a natural gelling agent, so you can enjoy a strawberry jam recipe without pectin added. Secondly, strawberry jam with lemon juice has a more well-rounded flavour as the lemon's acidity balances the sweetness of the strawberries, making sure the jam does not become sugary sweet, and it enhances the strawberry flavour.

Can you freeze strawberry jam?

You can freeze strawberry jam to keep it for longer. It can be preserved in an airtight container or glass jar. Remember to leave room in the jar for the jam to expand slightly when it freezes (aim for 2 cm of room at the top). In the freezer, the jam will last for at least 6 months and up to 12. After it has been defrosted, store it in the fridge. This way it will keep for about 7 days.

How long does it take for strawberry jam to set?

If your homemade jam seems quite runny when you pour it into jars, do not despair. Jam will always be runnier when hot and then sets more and more as it cools. It may take somewhere between 24-48 hours to properly set. However, if it still does not seem to be setting after this time, consider recooking it. If bringing it to a boil once more does not do the trick, consider adding a bit more lemon juice to let it thicken.

Other recipes

See more

Sweet homemade strawberry jam

Get a warm summer-vibe all year with a simple and delicious strawberry jam full of sweetness from strawberries and vanilla. Our strawberry jam recipe is easy to follow and requires very few ingredients. It is wonderful to make your own jam because you have full control over how sweet or tart you want it, having control of everything you put in it. Enjoy on toast or oatmeal for breakfast, as a sweet snack drizzled on yoghurt, or in and with various desserts.

Jam with fresh or frozen strawberries

Making strawberry jam from frozen strawberries is just as easy and will taste as good as one made from fresh berries. This means you can buy or pick berries when they are in season and packed full of flavour and use them in recipes like this even in the midst of winter. You do not even need to thaw the berries before popping them into a saucepan to cook. Actually, getting them into the pan before they start to defrost is better as all of their wonderful juices are incorporated into the homemade jam.

If you loved making – and eating – this homemade jam, why not have a look at our recipes for plum jam and blackberry jam – they are just as easy to make and taste amazing as well!

How to use strawberry jam for desserts

Your homemade jam has many uses, not least strawberry jam desserts. While the jam may not necessarily often be the hero of the dish, it plays a significant part by adding lots of fresh fruit flavour and natural sweetness. For instance, the sweet jam works well in layered cakes and roulades where it functions as a tasty, delicious glue that keeps the desserts together. The gorgeous red jam is great with hot and cold desserts alike, so whether you want to serve it with pancakes hot from the pan or as a topping for homemade ice cream or garnish for an elegant panna cotta, you will enjoy its sweet flavour and beautiful colour.

Add your own touch

If you are more into the savoury cuisine, you can easily turn this into a savoury strawberry jam that you can use with, for example, cheeses. By simply adding 1 tablespoon of good balsamic vinegar and ¼ teaspoon of fresh black pepper in with the preserving sugar, you will get an intense Italian-inspired strawberry jam with a bit of kick to it. This makes it very suitable for eating with a rich cheese like brie as it brings a bit of heat and a lot of contrast.

Strawberry rhubarb jam

Pairing ripe, red strawberries with pieces of gorgeous pink rhubarb is a well-loved way to mix up a classic strawberry jam. Rhubarbs are naturally a bit tart, and the tanginess they bring to the sweet jam makes for an enjoyable combination of flavours. Like regular strawberry jam, strawberry rhubarb jam is delicious in desserts, with yoghurts or oatmeal, or, of course, on a piece of toast or bread.

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